Thankful Thursday - It's been a while!

Sometimes I feel like  I'm running around in circles. There are so many things I want to do and many time -especially during certain times of the months I'm just exhausted and it seams to take all my energy to do the basics things.  This is when I realize how thankful I am for God's pure, free and simple grace!  I don't have to have a spotless house or blog everyday  to ensure the God love me.  I don't have to be a replica of Carol Brady to prove that I'm a good wife and mother.  All I have to do is love and care  for Barrett and the kids the way God directs me top.  Do I succeed at this everyday???  NO!  However, He still loves me.  He convicts me when I do wrong and He also acknowledges and confirms me when I'm doing the best I can.  I think this is why I can lay down in a house that's not spotless and with chaos all around me and I can rest in PEACE

Created to Be His Help Meet - Ch 1: God's Gift

What does being a help meet mean?   To be a help meet to Barrett means I am to serve him and help him in his life and service to God.

"A wise woman doesn't take anything for granted.  She is thankful to be loved and seeks to make herself more lovely." ~ Debi Pearl.

Just because Barrett (was forced to, as he'd jokingly say) put a ring on my hand, doesn't mean that I'll automatic get his love (willing) for the rest of my life.  Yes, we both made promises to love and care for each other, but if I'm not giving my all to him as a wife then his love for me is going to change.  Barrett's a very loyal man, especially to  his family.  There's not doubt in my my mind that Barrett will do whatever he needs to to take care of me.  But I want him to want to care for me.  I don't want to be a burden on him.  Now, Barret and I are in a unique situation because the is a certain amount of limitations that do put a lot of stress on Barrett because there are things that I can't do and/or there may be times where I may need more help than at other times.  I'm so grateful Barret does this, but this is not God's plan.   I was created to be Barrett's wife; to fulfill a need and be a "good thing" for him.   I was created to make him complete.  It just amazes me to think that God created a man just for me and that he made be just for Barrett.  My job as Barrett's help meet is to look around and she what I can do to help my husband; to ease his burden.  I must admit; I could do a lot better at this.  I love Barrett.  Many wives say "Well, I shouldn't have to earn his love."  They're right, you don't have to earn his love, but that's not what being a good help meet is about.  I want to serve Barrett because I love him, not because I want hime to love me more`.

Could you Talk to Your Husband That Way?

OK, so one of my "guilty pleasures" is watching the TV show "Bridezillas" on WE TV.  (I know I should but...)  Anyway, it's a very humorous, but sad  thing to see  how women treat the men that they are about to dedicate the rest of their life.  I'm by no means saying that I'm the perfect wife; I've said and done  things in the heat of the moment that I'm sure have  scared Barrett to the the core.  I just can't imagine talking to some one in such a negative, aggressive way.  I totally believe that when I speak negatively to my husband it breaks his  spirit.  I can think of many (older) couples who've been married for a while that take on the traits of the other spouse - the husband starts acting like the wife and the wife starts acting like the husband.  While it is very natural to become like the people who you are around  alot  - especially  those who you live.  However, I think  more often than that after years of being treated badly; that men become meek and let the woman  take control and thus the women decide that it is their duty to step up and take charge.  I remember sitting in a Sunday School with Barrett when we first got married; we were studying Adam and Eve and I suddenly understood Genesis 3:16 as I never have before.  It says; "...Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you."  I think most of us think of this as we should have physically desire for our husbands.  In a way this is true - we are to physically desire our husbands, but I believe it goes so much deeper.  Because of sin I have a natural desire to be in control, even to control Barrett.  Yes he knows all about his job  but I (THINK) I know what best for our family.   

Created to be His Help Meet - Intro

One of my favorite books is Created To Be His Help Meet  by Debi Pearl.   I first read this book about 4 years ago as online book discussion.  I've read it time and time again; it's high lighted, marked in and written it.  I even lost it and ordered another one.  It's just a practical book for any wife; whether work outside the home or at home.  It's a book, that I want to pass on to Bobbye Sue one day. 

A couple of weeks ago my best friend Becki and I decided to study it  together.  We'll do about one chapter per week.  Because I learn as I write, I'm going to try and blog throughout this process. 

Daddy, Mr. Barrett & Abba God ~ Part 1 ~ An Introduction

I may be about to what may be thee biggest writing challenge ever for me.  I'm going to attempt to compose a comparison between the 3 father "figures" in my life.  Obviously, no human can compare to Abba God!  But He did give me an "earthly" father to show me in tangible and visible ways how much He loved and cared for me.  My Daddy was a carnal, sinful man and why he wasn't perfect, he probably deserved a lot more respect than I gave him.
     I'm really not sure why I'm doing a series on this except to say that I feel prompted by the Holy Spirit to do so.  I was listening to Joyce Myer's series "Beauty for Ashes" on CD today and she was talking about fathers and there importance in our lives.  It really hit me that there are issues with my daddy, my father-in-law and God that I need to  deal with.

     So, I'm off...I'm not sure how long this will take or how many blog posts it will take.    Please pray that God will be with me and that His Will will be done

      Thank you!
   

Going Through The Marriage Devotional Bible - Day 8 "Get Some Rest"

Mark 6:31

New International Version (NIV)

³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Wow!  Jesus tells us to come and REST.  If you know me, you know I'm addicted to sleep.  School's been in session for over 2 weeks and I'm still trying to recuperate from "summer".  I slept most of Friday -most of last week actually.  I feel really guilty because the house is such mess and there's so much to do, and I know people think I'm lazy but I do "take to my bed" often - alot of times I'm sleeping I just need to lay down - stretch out.
     Well, in the midst of our chaotic "adventure" Friday night; as I tried to figure out where Bobbye Sue was bleeding from and get ready to take her to the ER  God spoke to me in a small voice, saying; "This is why I let you rest today and this week; so you'd have the energy to take care of Bobbye Sue."
      I'm not saying this gives me permission to be lazy and neglect mu responsibility; it does not.  However, it reminded me that nothing I can do to take me out of God's love & grace & that's it OK if it seams like I need a little more rest than the "normal" person.  Yes. I need to try harder on getting my stuff done; but more importantly I need to trust God that He'll give me what I need to get my stuff done.

Bobby Sue's Friday Night Jaunt to the ER.

So, it was the first "normal" Friday night of football season.   Can you tell I'm married to a sports announcer??? Barrett was gone to a game.  I had ordered pizza and was folding clothes and watch TV(and listening to the radio).  The kids were outside playing with the neighbors.  Suddenly, Dalton ran in and called "Mama!" with that voice that said, "There's something really wrong here."
      Bobbye Sue comes back to my room.  She was covered in blood from her nose to her throat.  At first, I wasn't sure where the blood was coming from.  I got her laying down on the bed and got the bleed stopped enough to see it was from her nose.  She said her (right) wrist hurt and the was I big knot on it,  and she cringed whenever I touched her.
     I told Dalton to call Granddaddy (Barrett's dad) and I hurried to get ready to go.  She was crying; Dalton kept saying, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
     Piece by piece, I gradually begin to comprehend what had happened.  Apparently they were "experimenting" with a new was to use the tire swing.  She was lying on top of the tire, holding the rode and Dalton was swinging her by her legs.  (This is something I can imagine my brothers and I doing years ago.)
Well, needless to say, her hand slipped and she kissed the dirt.  It's been rrumored that there was a dog leash involved too, but I chosen to close my "Mama" eyes to that little bit of information. 
     So we head off to the ER to find that Bobbye Sue did fracture her wrist.  (& yes, she is right handed and it is the start of a new school year.)   
     I must say, I'm really proud of Dalton; he stepped up and took care of his baby sister.  All went well until she asked him to hold the other hand while the doctor splinted the other and Dalton squeezed it too hard.  His reasoning; to divert the pain.

Ahhh, I gotta love my little people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!